Leaker: Apple Will Release iPhone Air 2 No Matter How Badly It May Sell

[MacRumors]

Despite the iPhone Air's struggling sales, a known leaker claims Apple will push ahead with at least two generations of the device, while also suggesting the standard iPhone 18 will see virtually no exterior design changes.

In a recent post on Weibo, the leaker known as "Fixed Focus Digital" said that the standard iPhone 18 will not have substantial changes to its design, reinforcing rumors about an incremental upgrade:

The standard model of the iPhone 18 will see virtually no changes to its exterior design—aside from a potential minor tweak to its dimensions.

In another post, the leaker claimed that Apple still plans to release a second-generation iPhone Air model:

The Air 2 will proceed with its standard product iteration cycle; no matter how abysmal the sales turn out to be, Apple will grit its teeth and push through with at least two generations...

Sales of the iPhone Air have reportedly struggled badly since its launch in September 2025. A KeyBanc Capital Markets survey for investors found "virtually no demand" for the device. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that suppliers were expected to reduce capacity by more than 80% between launch and the first quarter of 2026. Luxshare stopped making the iPhone Air in October, and Foxconn was expected to end production by the end of December, leaving the device believed to be entirely out of production. The iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus performed similarly poorly and saw only two generations each.

According to The Information, Apple is now considering a redesign of the iPhone Air to add a second rear camera to address one of the main criticisms of the current model. One report suggested the second camera could be a 48-megapixel Fusion Ultra Wide lens. Previous reports have also said Apple's work on the second-generation model is aimed at reducing the weight, adding vapor chamber cooling, and improving the battery capacity, along with a thinner Face ID module, and adding the A20 and C2 chips.

The standard iPhone 18 is expected to be an incremental update, adding Apple's A20 and C2 chips, 12GB of memory, a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, and a simplified Camera Control button.

Apple is widely believed to be planning a break from its long-established annual September release cycle with the iPhone 18 lineup, splitting the lineup across two windows: The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone are expected in fall 2026, while the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 will likely follow in spring 2027. A Nikkei Asia report corroborating the strategy noted it aims to both optimize resources and maximize revenue from premium models.

Article Link: Leaker: Apple Will Release iPhone Air 2 No Matter How Badly It May Sell

 

[notabitail]

It'd be nice if they put two cameras on it instead of just the one.

 

[bigandtasty]

At least they have a plan.

 

[seajack0h]

I love my air and this is good news.

 

[code-m]

At least they have a plan.

What plan? The two year run has been the status quo for Apple for even non-popular selling models. Look at the iPhone mini and iPhone Plus as historic examples.

 

[mthomas184]

I loved my Air when I had it. Only reason I got rid of it was because of cellular and wifi connection issues.

 

[Astuces iOS]

They should only sell this phone and get rid of all other iPhones!

 

[Bearygoodfries1]

Make it less expensive. I would have gotten it if it wasn’t too pricey with the features it has.

 

[cheesygrin]

I reckon the iPhone Air is technologically half of an iPhone Fold, so they want to use the Air to get the internals fully field tested, as even if they don’t sell many Airs, they know they’re going make a ton on the Fold.

 

[MayaUser]

They did this with iphone mini...2 generations

 

[onedrunkhorse]

Add a telephoto lens instead of wide and you’ve got yourself one more potential buyer. I’ve always found wide angle to be borderline useless.

 

[awshucks]

The 13 mini’s cult following is about to have some competition from the fans of the Air 2, the next 13 mini.

 

[businessnumbersmoneypeopl]

That's awesome news. The best phone I've ever had by far, and the only thing missing is indeed the second camera. I was worried about the battery life but that turned out to be a non-issue.

 

[Steves Padawan]

Air is light and beautifull,
but less expensive 17 have stereo speakers and 2 cameras.

But now is discounted from 1200€ to 900€ which is good price for new design, titanium body and light big phone.

At start 1200€ was too much, pro costed 1339€ and basic 17 around 1000€

 

[vertsix]

The mini died for this. Unfortunate.

 

[awshucks]

Article correction: the Plus iPhone saw 3 generations, not 2. 14, 15, and 16.

 

[syklee26]

This was a basis for foldable. I think ver 3 will actually sell well

 

[MGrayson3]

I hope this is true (about the Air). The ONLY thing I miss is the ultra-wide camera (more for its macro capabilities). A second speaker would be nice, but I got used to the lower sound quality after a few days.

 

[Jeaz]

Air is the only phone their current lineup that interests me. The Pro just look ugly and don’t sell me aluminium in a premium phone.

Foldable will be interesting to see if it’s announced this year, but if not I’ll get an Air when it’s time to refresh.

 

[con2apple]

Give me a real thin iPhone
(Without a camera bump)
and I buy three for my whole family.

We want the flat iPhone 4 design back.

The Air is a lie. Period.

 

[boswald]

Looking forward to it. Tired of having a brick in my pants!

 

[cicalinarrot]

An internal update is worth the costs, a whole new generation probably not, also because it would hardly feel as revolutionary.
Sounds similar to the 12" MacBook.
It was an extreme model, with many sacrifices but also many cool engineering solution that eventually came to mainstream models.
It was meant to show that Apple could still make something radical and even controversial, while testing the waters for some new direction. I'm pretty sure that Apple wants the "think different" myth to live on and that's why they sometimes make unpopular choices, to wash away the image of a legacy corporation that plays safe.

 

[vegetassj4]

Just make it the iPhone Air Pro™, the most pro iPhone Air we've ever created. It will sell better than before.

 

[currentinterest]

Recent reports claim the Air significantly outsold the Plus it replaced. This alone likely means they will keep it and improve it.

 

[macintologist]

I will buy the iPhone Air 2. I have the iPhone 12 mini and refuse to purchase an iBrick like the iPhone and iPhone pro.